Fun Holiday Learning Activities for Kids: 4 Tips for Boosting Literacy Engagement
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Let’s be real…
Finding time to practice reading and writing over the holiday break is the last thing on our child’s mind!
Between the family gatherings, festive activities, and traveling to see extended family, finding time to squeeze in a bit of learning over the long break isn’t always practical - or enjoyable (no matter how cute and festive the holiday-themed worksheet is….).
But getting in some sort of practice during the long break is important.
And here’s the key…
Lean into the spirit of the season.
Finding fun, engaging learning activities that harness the spirit of the season will not only keep the learning engaging for your child, but it’ll be one less thing you’ll have to stress about this holiday!
The Challenge of Keeping Kids Learning During the Holiday Break
“What should my child to over break?”
This is a question that I get asked A LOT.
I remember, back when I first started teaching, my district required teachers to send home packets with students to work on over break. And of course, I did my best to find fun holiday-themed learning activities that were available in worksheet form.
And I’m sure you can guess how that went…
Students either did a few pages, crammed it all in the night before school, or completely forgot about it.
That sort of defeats the purpose, right?
I know it was well-intentioned, but if we want to engage our children in learning over break, we need to reimagine holiday learning.
What if instead of just focusing on completing assignments we could embrace the idea of enjoyable learning activities that seamlessly integrate literacy into holiday moments? What if instead of feeling like we were just “checking the box”, that the activities added to the holiday season instead of taking away from it?
Fun and Effective ways to Keep Literacy SKills Engaging During the Holidays
The quickest way to suck the joy out of the holiday season…
Telling your child that they need to make time to complete their worksheet. (Cringe!)
Now, don’t get me wrong, our children still should engage in some sort of learning over the holiday break, but there shouldn’t be any punitive requirement attached.
So Parents (or teachers looking for some fun holiday activities) I’ve got you!
Here are my favorite ideas and tips for weaving in fun, literacy-themed, learning activities this holiday season!
Rest: The Foundation for Holiday Learning
Rest?!
Yes, rest. Let me explain.
Your child has been working so hard since the beginning of the school year. It’s okay to allow them to have a few days to sleep in, veg out, and just do nothing. Giving our children a chance to unwind from a very busy first semester will go a long way in giving them the mental space they need to recharge. A well-rested mind is better prepared to learn and explore during break.
Give them some grace - trust me, it’s much needed for the ENTIRE family!
So keep it low-key. Encouraging your learner to listen to their favorite audiobook or browse a magazine about topics they are interested in is an easy way to weave in some fun, holiday learning activities!
Create a Basket of Books: Make Reading a Holiday Tradition
Keeping and curating a "basket of books" keeps kids excited about reading during the holidays.
You can add a bit of holiday flair by adding in some of your family’s favorite holiday stories or traditional Christmas tales among the topics your child enjoys reading about.
It turns reading into a family tradition, making literacy time something everyone looks forward to!
You can even keep the basket in a central location in your home such as a coffee table, dining room, etc, and create space and TIME to read as a family. Consider creating a “no phone zone”, and plan a family reading night. You could either have your child pick a book to read aloud to the family OR everyone (yes, including you) could choose to read their own book for 30 minutes.
These fun learning activities turn reading into an enjoyable family event, not just something to do.
Get Creative: Turn Everyday Activities into Fun Learning Opportunities
Okay… Who doesn’t love a good holiday treat?
The holidays are a time to take out that favored, passed-down recipe that only comes out for special occasions.
Not only is partaking in making these recipes a time-honored tradition, but they are also a great opportunity to weave in literacy practice! You can easily turn everyday holiday tasks like baking and assembling toys into opportunities to practice literacy skills in an engaging, hands-on way.
I can feel the skepticism, but YES! These make for perfect, fun holiday learning activities.
While you’re baking your tasty holiday treat, have your child read the steps of the recipe and explain what you need to do.
And for early readers, you can give them picture-based instructions for toys and have them describe the process of putting it together.
Encourage Writing: Add a Dash of Creativity to Holiday Literacy
When considering activities to promote literacy, we can’t forget about writing.
Yes, writing.
Here’s the thing - reading and writing go hand in hand. Writing enhances literacy by building communication and storytelling skills, and the holidays are the perfect time to inspire creativity! (and yes, writing can be a FUN learning activity!)
Here are some ideas!
Consider helping your child write a letter to Santa, encouraging them to use proper letter formatting to practice formal writing skills (what kid wouldn’t be excited about writing a letter to Santa?) You can also find organizations that offer “Santa Mail” that would allow your child to actually mail their letter to Santa - how exciting would that be?!
There’s A LOT that happens during the holidays, and having your child keep a journal documenting their holiday experience is an easy and engaging way to weave in fun holiday learning activities for kids. Your child can document their favorite moments, trips, or even just daily thoughts. Just think how fun it would be to come back to this year after year!
Keep the Holidays Fun and Educational
Fun holiday learning activities for kids don’t have to be complicated.
By focusing on rest, reading routines, creative tasks, and writing opportunities, you can keep your child engaged in literacy while enjoying the holiday season.
Adding in manipulatives are another great way to add a little flair to your child’s reading practice. And to help you get started, I hosted a FREE reading intervention toolkit workshop.
Additional Reading Resources
Looking for more resources to support your young reader?
Check out my blog “Resources for Your Littler Reader”. In it, I share my 6 favorite online resources that can be used to support your learner’s reading journey!
